Seed-planter.



No. 792,958. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. W. BAGGER. SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

W. BAGGER.

SEED PLANTEE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

6 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

'PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

W. BAGGER. SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

W. BAGGER.

SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 8, 1905.

5 SHEETSBHBET 4.

PATENTED JUNE 20 W. BAGGER. SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEBT UNITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,958, dated June 20,1905.

Application filed May 8,1905. Serial No. 259,359.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM BAGGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented anew and useful Seed-Planter, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to seed-planters, and has particular referenceto corn-planting machines.

" In depositing seeds or grains of corn in the ground it is importantthat exactly the same number of seeds should be deposited at eachoperation of the planter or in each hill. To accomplish this purpose,various mechanism more or less intricate has heretofore been em- Iployed. The object of the present invention is to accomplish this resultin a uniform and accurate manner; and with this and other ends in viewthe invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a corn-planterembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken throughaportion of one ofthe hoppers. Figs. 1, 5, and 6 are sectional detail views showing thepick-up and valve mechanism in its pick-up, intermediate, anddischarging positions, respectively. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken onthe plane indicated by the line 7 7in Fig. 3. Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12are sectional views illustrating various forms of the pickup. Figs. 13,14, 15, and 16 are detail views illustrating various modifications ofdetachable and interchangeable pick up fingers. Fig. 17 is a sectionalelevation illustrating modified guiding means for the pick-up finger.Fig. 18 is a sectional detail view illustrating a further modificationof the pick-up mechanism. Fig. 19 is a plan view of the runner-frame anda portion of the wheelframe of a corn-planter, illustratingamodificationof the invention. Fig. 20 is a sectional detail view of the crankforming the suction and blast tube under said modification. Fig. 21 1s atransverse sectional View of the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 20 on theline 21 21. Figs. 22 and 23 are similar views illustrating the parts indifferent positions. Figs. 24: and 25 illustrate further modificationsof the pick-up mechanism. Figs. 26, 27, 28, and 29 are detail views ofstill other modifications of the pick-up fingers, and Fig. 30 is adetail view of a spring-motor wound by the forward movement of themachine and storing power for driving the fan while the machine isstopped.

The present invention is adapted to be used in connection with the framestructure of any modern corn-planter, and the planter-frame has beenconventionally illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein 1 designates thewheel-frame and 2 the runner-frame, the wheel-frame being provided withan axle 3 and transportingwheels 1. Suitably supported upon thewheelframe is a fan 5, the shaft of which has been shown as derivingmotion from the axle 3 through intermediate speed-gearing 6, whereby thefan may be speeded to establish the requisite suction or blast.

As the mechanism within the hoppers is identical in both hoppers, onlyone need be;

The hopper designated seed chamber or reservoir 9 and an auxiliarychamber 10, having a side wall 11, extending upwardly from the bottomand terminating in a plane above the lower edge of the partition 8. Thecompartment 10 is thus divided into subcompartments 12 and 13, one ofwhich, in this case the compartment 13, communicates directly with theseed-tube 14:. The subcompartment 12 is in communication with theseed-compartment 9 through the passage 15 beneath the partition 8, andthe subcompartment 12 will thus receive a constant flow of seedsfrom thecompartment 9, whereby an approximately constant level is maintained insaid subcompartment 12.

In the compartment 10 is an oscillatory tubular rock-shaft 16, which isprovided with a hollow crank 17. The rear end of the tubular shaft 16extends through the rear wall of the hopper and is connected with theeye of the fan-casing by means of tubing 18, which means of a union 19.

latter is connected with the rock-shaft by The crank 17 carries avalve-casing 21, having an upwardly-extending guide member 22, which inFig. 3 has been shown as provided with a slot 23, engaging a guide pinor rod'24. A pick-up member 25, which depends from the casing 21, maycommunicate with the interior of the tubular crank through a port 26 inthe latter when said port registers with a passage 27, formed in thecasing, the relative disposition of the port 26 and the passage 27 beingsuch that when the pickup member is conveyed by the motion of the crankdownwardly into the seed-chamber 12 it shall be opened to the suctionset up in the tubular shaft by means of the fan, while when saidsuction-finger is positioned in the subcompartment 13 above the seedtube communication between the pick-up member and the interior of thecrank will be cutoff. The construction is such that the suction is notentirely out off until the lower end of the pick-up member has passedover the wall 11 and is positioned above the seed-tube 14:. This generalconstruction will be readily comprehended by reference to Figs. 4:, 5,and 6 of the drawings, in which the crank and the pick-up member havebeen shown in three different positions-that is to say, dipping into theseed-supply, which may be termed the first position; in the verticalplane of the crank, which may be termed the second position and in whicha degree ofsuction still exists within the pick-up member, and in thethird or discharging position where suction is entirely out olf, theported crank 17 practically constituting a valve cooperating with thecasing 21 to attain the desired results.

The pick-up member 25 may be made of any desired shape and size, themost simple form being that illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein the pick-upis in the form of a tube provided at its lower end with a small opening28, which serves as a current of air is drawn therethrough to pick up asingle grain of corn or other seed, the aperture being of less area thanthat of the surface of the seed with which it engages, so that onlysingle seeds may be caught.

In Fig. 9 is illustrated a slight modification,

- in which the pick-up is tubular in form and is guard-flange isgoverned by the size of the seed being operated upon and in most casesis preferably but slightly greateri'than the largest cross-sectionalarea of any one seed, so that danger of picking up a plurality of seedsis reduced to a minimum. The shield exercises a further function. inthat during the withdrawal of the pick-up member it will act to shieldthe selected seed from contact with the mass of seeds, and thus avoiddanger of accidental removal of the seed from the end of the pick-up.

In Fig. 10 is illustrated a further modification of the pick-up member,this form being made specially with a view to renewal in case of wear.The pick-up tube 25 is threaded at its lower end for the reception of asleeve 30, and the lower end of the sleeve is internally threaded forthe reception of a ring 31, between which and an inner ring 32 isclamped a diaphragm 33, formed of rigid or of yield able material andprovided with an aperture 28. In this case also the end of the sleeveand the ring constitute a guard for preventing accidental discharge of aselected seed.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated a still further modification, in which the endofthe sleeve carries a plug 34, formed of a yieldable material such, forinstance, as india-rubber or a composition containing rubber-and in thiscase the guard-flange 35 forms an integral part of the plug.

In Fig. 12 is illustrated a still further modification, in which theplug 34: and its aper tured diaphragm are arranged within the lower endof the tube, so that the latter forms a guard-flange or shield,operating in the manner previously described. 7

It is preferred in all of these constructions that the diaphragm beformed of a yieldable or flexible material in order to prevent injury tothe seed and at the same time in order that it may conform to a greateror less extent to the contour of the seed, and thus prevent the entranceof air between a seed and the diaphragm and lessen the likelihood ofaccidentally dropping the said seed and at the same time rendering itmore diflicult for a plurality of seeds to become attached to the endofthe pick-up, the diaphragm conforming to the shape of a single seed andthe latter being directed toward the approximately central aperture.

In machines of this type it is often desirable to plant single seeds orto simultaneously plant two or more seeds, and in order to provide forthis the machine is so arranged that the pick-up members may beinterchangeable. Each pick-up member may be in the form of a singlefinger, as shown in Fig. 13, having ranged to pick up two seeds, or thepick-upmay be provided with three fingers, as shown in Fig. 15, or fouror more fingers, as shown in Fig. 16.

In the manufacture of 'the machines a set of interchangeable single andplural pick-up fingers is supplied with each machine, so that the usermay readily adjust one or the other set of fingers to position inaccordance with the character of the work.

The rock-shafts 16, of which two are shown in the present instance, aremounted in suitable bearings at the opposite sides of the runner-frame,and each is provided with a rockerarm 36, said rocker-arms beingconnected by links 37 to a crank 38, carried by a crankshaft 39,attached to suitable bearings at the central portion of the runner-frameand connected by a universal joint to a shaft 40, that is driven fromthe axle through suitable gear connection, this shaft 10 serving also asa means for transmitting movement to the fan. The operating mechanismshown, however, is merely suggestive of a simple form of mechanism whichmight be employed for the purpose of transmitting movement to therock-shaft, and it will be understood that this mechanism will vary inaccordance with the character of the machine to which the said selectingmechanism,- forming the subject of the invention, is applied, and itwill further be understood that the machine may be provided with any ofthe auxiliary foot-valve or similar mechanisms now employed forcontrolling the delivery of the seed to proper position in the furrows.

In this construction it is preferred to provide the pick-up member witha perforation 4:2, located at any convenient point and of such an areathat when communication is cut off between the pick-up member and themain suction-tube sufiicient air will be admitted to" equalize thepressure around the seed and permit the latter to fall by gravitythrough the seed-tube.

1n the operation of the mechanism as thus far described the suction-fanis rotated continuousl y, and air is constantly drawn through one of thepick-up members or all of them toward the fan so long as the fingersremain in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 1. When in this position,the lower ends of the pick-up members are disposed within thecompartment 12 in a position below the level of the mass of seed, havingbeen previously forced down through themass of seed and separated asingle seed, which being guided toward the central aperture of thepick-up member is instantly caught and held by the partial vacuumcreated within the lower portion of said pickup member. As therock-shaft is rotated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the positionshown in Fig. 5 the suction still continues, inasmuch'as the pick-upmember is still, in communication with the hollow crank; but after thepick-up member passes beyond the wall 11, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 3, the valve-chamber serves to gradually close the port leadingthrough the wall of the crank, and by the time the pick-up memberarrives at the position shown in Fig. 7, or the discharging position,the suction will be entirely cut off, the power being closed, and theair-port 42 will then admit sufiicient air to the interior of the pickupmember to equalize the atmospheric pressure around the seed at theentrance to the tube and allow the seed to fall. It will be noted thatin the discharging position the end of the pick-up member isapproximately in the vertical plane of the axis of the seedtube, so thatas the seed is dropped it falls clear of the walls of the tube andwill'not be retarded in any way by contact with such walls, so that themachine may operate successfully during damp weather.

in the construction shown in Fig. 17 an auxiliary rock-shaft 4:7 isplaced immediately above and in the vertical plane of the rockshaft 16,and the arm 22 of the pick-up member is extended upward and is connectedto a rocker-arm 18, carried by the upper rockshaft, the two rock-shaftsserving to maintain the pick-up member constantly in a vertical positionas it moves from the reservoir over the wall to a position above the topof the seed-tube. The operation otherwise is the same as that previouslydescribed.

In the construction shown in Fig. 18 the pick-up member 19 is in theform of a gooseneck that extends up to one side of the wall 11 and isprovided with an aperture at one end in"order that it may select andcarry a seed in the manner previously described. The gooseneck 4:9 ismoved vertically and at the upper limit of its movement is turned from aposition over the reservoir to a position over the seed-tube, (seedotted lines in Fig. 18,) the seed being discharged at the latter point.

It is obvious that various means may be employed for equalizing thepressure in such a manner as to effect the discharge of the seed,

and in place of employing a simple air-vent the equalization ofpressures may be hastened by changing the direction of flow of thecurrent of aired. a, by directing a blast of air either at or aboveatmospheric pressure between the pickip members in a direction oppositeto the direction of the current of air side, .and the wall of the crankis provided with a pair of ports 54: and 55, either of which may beplaced in communication with the pick-up member. When the ports-are inthe position'shown in Fig. 21, the interior of the pick-up member is incommunication with the port 54 and with the suction side of the fan,

so that a seed may be picked up from the reservoir, and this continueswhile the ports move to the position shown in Fig. 22. During themovement from the position shown in Fig. 22 to that shown in Fig. 23 thepositions of the ports are gradually shifted until at the latter pointthe interior of the pick-up member is in communication with the port 55,and a blast of air is directed through said port to the interior of thepick-up member and positively forces the seed from the end of saidpick-up member.

In Fig. 24 is illustrated a further modification of the pick-up. In thiscase the pick-up finger 25 is closed .at the end and preferably ispointed to facilitate its entrance into the mass of seed. At one side ofthe finger, facing the side wall 11 of the hopper, is an opening coveredby an apertured diaphragm 33. On the descent of the finger a seed iscaught and held by suction at the aperture, and when the finger iselevated so that the diaphragm is above side wall 11 the direction offlow of the current of air is reversed, and the seed is forced outwardby a'blast and driven over such side wall to the top of the seed-tube.

In Fig. 25 is shown a further modified form in which the finger receivesmerely a vertical movement and when raised a flap 58 is moved thereunderand forms an inclined chute to direct the seed over the side wall 11 andonto the seed-tube. This flap may be manipulated in any manner. from amoving part of the mechanism, the particular means employed forming nopart of the present invention.

In cases where it is desired to pick up simultaneously a plurality ofseeds it may not always be necessary to employ a separate pick-up fingerfor each individual seed, as hereinbefore shown and described. When thesegregating of a plurality of seeds from the bulk or mass of seeds is tobe accomplished by a single pick-up finger, such finger will be made ofsufiiciently large cross-section to receive a diaphragm having two ormore apertures or perforations, according to the number of seeds that itmay be desired to pick up at any one operation. in Figs. 26, 27, 28, and29 have been shown end views of pick-up fingers, (here designated 25",25 25 and 25 respectively,) the same being provided with diaphragms 2626, 26, and 26", the same being provided, respectively, with two, three,four, and five apertures adapted to segregate and to pick up acorresponding number of seeds. This construction may under somecircumstances be found advantageous.

ism is thrown out of gear when the machine arrives at the end of eachrow and remains idle while the machine is being moved to and fro inadjusting it to proper position for commencing the planting of the nextrow. In the present pneumatic seeder it may be advisable in some casesto maintain the suction means in continuous operation during thisinterval in order that the suction may be sufficient to start its workwhen required. To this end, a spring-motor 60 is placed on the frame ofthe machine and power is stored during the running of the machine forthe purpose of driving the fan while the machine is being adjusted.

The motor 60 comprises a motor-spring 61 and a suitable gear-train 62,the final gear 63 of which is mounted on a hollow shaft 64, arranged onthe fan-shaft 66, and to the hollow shaft is secured a clutch-disk 65.The inner end of the spring is secured to a windingshaft 67, on which isa loose sprocket-wheel 68 and a clutch-disk 69. feathered aclutching-sleeve 70 under the control of a lever 71, that is moved by acam 72 on one of the gears. The main axle has two sprocket-wheels 73 and74, the latter of which is connected by a link belt 7 5 to the sprocketwheel .68, and when the clutch-disk 70 is moved into engagement with thenormally loose disk 69 the motor-spring will be wound, and the Windingwill continue until the spring is fully wound, at which time cam 72 willantomatically shift lever 71 and the clutches will be disconnected,allowing the disk 69 to rotate idly until the spring requires rewinding,at which time the cam will again shift the lever and the clutch memberswill be reengaged. On the fan-shaft 66 is a loose sprocket-Wheel 77, oneside of which forms a clutch-disk, and said wheel is driven from thewheel 73 by meansof a link belt 80. Between the clutch-disk of thesprocket-wheel and the disk 65 the fan-shaft carries a clutchsleeve 81,that is feathered to the shaft and is under the-control of amanually-operable lever 82, and said lever also carries a motorlockingarm 83. p

While the machine is running and a row is being planted the clutchsleeve81 is engaged with the clutching member of sprocket-wheel 77, so thatthe fan is driven so long as the machine continuesto run. When the endof a row is reached, the driver operates lever 82 and throws theclutch-sleeve into engagement with the disk 65 and at the same timeunlocks the motor, so that the latter will drive the fan during the timethe machine is being adjusted to position to start a fresh row.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, this invention will bethoroughly effective to separate a charge of any desired size from thebulk of seeds contained in a receptacle and to convey the said charge,toa seed- In most seeders the seed-dropping mechan- 5 tube, throughwhich it is conveyed to the To the shaft is place of deposit in theground. The separation of the seeds constituting the charge from themass or bulk is performed by segregating fromthe said mass or bulkindividual seeds by means which will preclude the possibility of more orless than the precise number desired being separated at any oneoperation of the device. This efiiciency of operation is brought aboutin the simplest possible manner, and the mechanism utilized is not onlysimple and effective in operation, but is capable of being constructedby a very moderate expense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. A reciprocatory pneumatic seed pick-up.

2. A seed pick-up operating in the direction of its length and servingby engagement with a mass of seed to separate a single seed therefrom.

3. A pneumatic seed pick-up operating in the direction of its length toseparate a single seed from a mass of seeds.

4. A suction-finger terminating in .a seed pick-up and operating in thedirection of its length to separate a single seed from a mass of seeds.

5. A pneumatic seed pick-up movable in the direction of its length to areceiving and to a discharging position.

6. A reciprocatory pneumatic seed pick-up movable bodily into and from aseed-reservoir.

7. A reciprocatory seed pick-up having a terminal suction inlet-opening.

8. A reciprocatory seed pick-up having a terminal suction inlet-opening,movable bodily into and from a seed-reservoir- 9. ,A seed pick-upcomprising a suction-tube having an apertured diaphragm.

10. A seed pick-up comprising a suctiontube having an apertured wall,and means for thrusting such Wall directly into-a mass of seed.

11. A seed pick-up comprising asuctiontube having a yieldable apertureddiaphragm.

12. A seed pick-up comprising a suctiontube having a plug including ayieldable apertured diaphragm.

13. A seed pick-up concaved at its outer end and provided with a suctioninlet-opening.

1 1. A seed pick-up comprising a suctiontube having a yieldableapertured diaphragm, the outer face of which is concave.

15. A seed pick-up comprising a suctiontube provided with a plugincluding a yieldable apertured diaphragm, the outer face of which isconcave.

16. A seed pick-up comprising a suctiontube having a yieldable diaphragmreduced in thickness toward the center'and provided with an aperture inthe reduced portion thereof.

17. A reciprocatory seed pick-up having a terminal suctioninlet-opening, and a guard surrounding the openin 18. A reciprocatoryseed pick-up having a terminal suction inlet-opening, and a flangesurrounding and extending below the openin 19. A seed pick-up comprisinga suctiontube provided with an apertured diaphragm and with a protectiveflange extending around the aperture.

20. A seed pick-up comprising a suctiontubeprovided with a yieldableapertured diaphragm andwith a wear-resisting flange extending beyondsaid diaphragm.

21. A suction-tube having interchangeable single and plural pick-upfingers.

22. A suction-tube having interchangeable single and plural pick-upfingers provided with inlet-openings at their outer ends.

23. A suction inlet-tube and interchangeable pick-up fingers havingapertured diaphragms at their outer ends.

2 1. A suction inlettube having interchangeable fingers, each providedwith a suction inlet-opening and a guard-flange surrounding the opening.

25. A seed-reservoir, means for maintaining a constant level of seedtherein and a pneumatic means for selecting and conveying sin-- gleseeds from the reservoir.

26. A seed-reservoir, means for maintaining a constant level of seedtherein, a pneumatic pick-up finger, and means for moving said pick-upfinger into and from the reservoir.

27. A seedreservoir, means for maintaining a constant level of seedtherein, a suction inlet-tube, and interchangeable single and pluralpick-up fingers carried by the tube and movable into and from saidreservoir.

28. A seed-reservoir, means for maintaining a constant level of seedtherein and a seed pick-up movable at each operation a predetermineddistance below such level.

29. A seed-reservoir, means for maintaining a constant level of seedtherein and a pneumatic pick-up finger having an outward movement to apredetermined distance below such level and movable upward and from thereservoir to discharge the seed.

30. In combination, a reservoir, a seed-tube and means for conveying theseed from the reservoir to a point approximately in the plane of thevertical axis of the tube.

31. A seed pick-up having means for retaining the seeds in position byatmospheric pressure and means for equalizing the pressure around theseed to permit its discharge from the pick-up.

32. A seed pick-up member and means for causing the flow of currents ofair alternately in opposite directions through said member.

33. A seed pick-up having an opening at'its outer end, and means forinducing the flow of a current of air through the pick-up in onedirection for raising the'seed and in the opposite direction fordischarging the seed.

. 34:. In combination a reservoir, a seed pick- IIO up movable into andfrom the reservoir, means for inducing the flow of a current of airthrough the pick-up in one direction while in the reservoir, and in theopposite direction when the pick-up is moved from the reservoir.

35. A hollow ported crank-shaft constituting a suction-tube, and apick-up finger mounted thereon.

36. A hollow ported crank-shaft constituting a suction-tube, and apick-up finger pivotally mounted thereon.

37. A hollow ported crank-shaft constitut the flow of air, and a seedpick-up finger car-V ried by the valve-casing.

39. A hollow ported crank constituting a suction-tube, a valve-casingpivotally mounted thereon and cooperating with the port to control theflow of air, a seed pick-up finger carried by the valve-casing,and'means for controlling the movement of the pick -up finger.

40. A hollow ported crank constituting a suction-tube, a valve-casingmounted thereon and cooperating with the port to control the flow ofair, a seed pick-up finger carried by the casing, and a pick-upguiding-arm secured to said casing.

41. A hollow ported crank constituting a suction-tube, a valve-casingmounted thereon and cooperating with the port and controlling the flowof air, a seed pick-up finger carried by the casing, a slotted armsecured to the casing, and a stationary member entering the slot andcontrolling the movement of the pickup finger.

42. In a seeding-machine, a hollow ported crank having a partitiondividing it into suction and blast tubes, and a pick-up finger supportedby the crank, the ports alternately communicating with the finger todirect the course of the currents ofair therethrough.

43. In a seeding-machine, a hollow crank having a partition dividing thesame into suction and blast tubes, the wall of said crank being providedwith ports, a valve-casing extending around the ports, and a hollow pickup finger carried by the valve-casing and arranged to communicatealternately with said ports.

44. In a seeding-machine, a hollow crank, a partition arranged thereinand dividing the crank into suction and blast tubes, a reservoir, apick-up finger supported by the crank and movable into and from thereservoir, and a valve mechanism automatically controlled by theposition of the pickup finger for placing such finger in communicationwith either the blast or the suction tube.

45. In combination, a seed-reservoir, a hollow ported crank constitutinga suction-tube, a hollow pick-up finger movable by said crank into andfrom the reservoir, and means automatically controlled by the positionof the finger for opening and closing communication between said fingerand the crank.

46. In a pneumatic seeder, a suction means, and means operable from therunning-gear for effecting continuous operation of the suction meansduring the various intervals of running and stopping of the machine.

47. In a pneumatic seeder. a suction means, means operable from therunninggear for driving the suction means while the machine is runningand an intermittently-operable motor for driving the suction meansbetween intervals of operation of the machine.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BAGGER.

Witnesses:

JNo. E. PARKER, J. H. JooHUM, Jr.

